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COOLNESS AND DECISION
SS John Worthington
A CONVOY, assembling with its escort at noon a under Navy orders, left the sheltered harbor of Sao Salvador (Bahia) on Monday, May 24, 1943, and at the speed of the slowest ship, about 8 1/2 knots, proceeded northward along the coast of Brazil. The escort consisted of five U. S. warships - a destroyer and four corvettes.
There were five columns of ships. The vessel in the second position of the middle column was the 23-year old Esso tanker John Worthington, commanded by Captain Gunnar Gjertsen, which had left Rio de Janeiro May 14.
When more than three days out of San Salvador, after sundown on Thursday, May 27, the long lines of gray ships turned one by one to port as they rounded the strategic corner of South America jutting out nearest to Freetown and Dakar, Africa. The formation of freighters and tankers, all blacked out, was then heading northwesterly for Trinidad.
Majestic — But Dangerous
All day Thursday and that night the weather was clear and the sea moderate; a light warm breeze blew steadily from the southeast. The night was dark. Thus far the voyage had been “without incident".
At sunset on the 27th, as on countless similar occasions during the war at sea, the convoy had been a majestic sight. In time of peace the splendor of the tropical light display at the day's end would have been better appreciated. But in wartime, with the Battle of the Atlantic by no means won, the bright solar rays, slanting upward above the horizon in a danger zone, meant chiefly the arrival of the hours for submarine attacks.
Although the scenic grandeur was lost to the men below decks, where portholes were permanently covered with blackout screens, those not sleeping were well aware of the time. The hours of darkness were the hours of anxiety.
To the men on deck watches throughout the convoy, sunset was far from a welcome sight; no matter how splendid, it seemed ominous. To the masters of the freighters and tankers and the commanders of the five escort vessels, sundown was the signal for another practically sleepless night — even if conditions permitted an occasional nap or attempt to get some rest, perhaps on a lounge in the chart room.
It was to prove fortunate for the John Worthington and her crew that she was in ballast and gas-free and that the impending crash of an enemy torpedo did not reach the engineroom or break her in two. Nos. 3, 5, and 7 main tanks were ballasted with sea water
and the remaining tanks were empty.
Attacked Off Brazilian Coast
By 11:40 p.m. the convoy was in Latitude 3°52’ South, Longitude 36°48’ West, off the northern coast of Brazil and about 120 miles due east of Fortaleza. The John Worthington was maintaining her station, about two cable lengths from the leading vessel, when
the submarine attack occurred.
As Captain Gjertsen stated in his report of May 28, 1943 to the late Captain H, A. Cunningham, then Manager of the Bayonne Division, "I was on the bridge at the time of the explosion." The third mate, Frederick Aristrom, was on watch and was navigating
from the starboard wing of the bridge". Earlier in the evening he had taken a star observation. With him on the 8 to 12 watch as helmsmen and lookouts were Able Seamen Stephen C. Truesdell, Jacob H. Bumgarner, and Bror Larson, and Ordinary Seaman
William M. Franklin.
On the 8 to 12 engineroom watch were Third Assistant Engineer David W. Dutton, Oiler Herbert W. Hathaway, Fireman Harry E. Davidson, and Engine Cadet Robert J. Rhein. (At midnight, Second Assistant Engineer Tom Peter and Fireman Lester W.
Campbell reported for duty on the 12 to 4 watch; Oiler Walter J. Jamrog, who had received a head injury when the ship was torpedoed, reported as soon as he received first aid.)
“At about 11:46 p.m.," Captain Gjertsen reported, "the third mate saw the explosion of a torpedo striking the third ship of the column next us on the starboard side. He immediately turned in the general alarm. Slightly over a minute afterward we were
struck by a torpedo, on the starboard side, aft. The force of the explosion caused the vessel to sheer 30 degrees to starboard of the course.
“I gave the helmsman the order to bring the vessel back on the convoy course. The steering gear was undamaged and the vessel responded to the rudder.
“Shortly after the explosion Chief Engineer Walter R. Gillam called from the engineroom to report that, save for minor damage, all was well below."
Fireman Juan R. Fernandez, in an interview for this history, related his experience:
“My room was on the starboard side. I was on the 4 to 8 watch and at about 11:30 p.m., after a game of cards, I went to my room to rest. On the way, I called out to Fireman Campbell, who was on the 12 to 4 watch. When he was ready to go on duty at midnight he came into my room, about 11:40, and sat down for a smoke. I had taken off my shoes and was lying down.
“We had been talking only a few minutes when the general alarm sounded. I was putting on my shoes, and Campbell had gone to get his lifebelt, when I heard the explosion of the torpedo. Campbell returned as I was putting on my lifebelt and we went to the engineroom door and looked in. I saw Third Assistant Engineer Dutton and everything seemed all right. We went up on deck and I took my station at No. 3 lifeboat.
“Chief Mate Frank L. Hooper came aft and asked us if No. 3 was ready to launch. When we reported that it was, he said, "There is no order to abandon ship. Stand by." About half an hour later the ‘All clear‘ was sounded.
“The word was passed that another ship had been torpedoed just before we were hit. This explained why we heard the general alarm first and then the explosion. I learned afterward what happened to the other ship - the Texas Company tanker Florida. She
was badly damaged, but remained afloat. Two of the corvettes of our escort force stood by her."
(The MS Florida, escorted by the gunboat USS Saucy, succeeded, despite serious injury to her hull, in arriving off Fortaleza; the tanker's stern grounded about a mile northwest of Fortaleza breakwater. Although the Florida's back was broken, she was
salvaged and towed to San Juan, Puerto Rico, where temporary repairs were made in the dry dock at Encenada Honda. Following permanent repairs at Chester, Penna., the Florida returned to service.)
To continue Captain Gjertsen's statement: "Chief Mate Hooper went to find out where the vessel was struck and to ascertain damage. He reported that the torpedo had struck No. 8 tank; and that although considerable damage had been done to the vessel's hull, as well as to the bulkheads within and separating Nos. 7, 8, and 9 main tanks, the ship seemed in no danger of breaking in two. In view of this report I decided to try to remaip with the convoy."
Master's Decision
In those few minutes, the cool-headedness and quick but sound decision of Captain Gjerts n - to whom the torpedoing of his ship was not a new experience - saved the ship and safeguarded her crew.
For this coolness and decision he was commended and, with him, three of his officers, by the General Manager of the Marine Department, in the following letter :
June 25, 1945
Dear Captain Gjertsen: The report contained in your letter of May 28 covering the enemy attack on the John Worthington during the night of May 27-28 has been noted with great interest and appreciation.
The prompt action of the ship's personnel un- doubtedly resulted in saving the vessel, and perhaps the lives of some members of the crew. The speedy and accurate survey of the damage which resulted in the decision to continue the voyage reflects the alertness and knowledge of your officers.
On behalf of the Management I wish to commend you for your courageous and intelligent conduct. Commendation is also extended to your officers and crew, particularly Chief Engineer Walter R. Gillain, Chief Officer Frank L. Hooper, and Third Mate Frederick Arfstrom, for the fine manner in which they discharged their duties during and after the attack.
Very truly yours,
B. B. Howard
The SS John Worthington was built in 1920 by the G. M. Standifer Construction Corporation at Vancouver, Washington. She is a sistership of the W. H. Libby, Livingston Roe, Christy Payne, and Chester O. Swain.
A single-screw vessel of 12,475 deadweight tons capacity on international summer draft of 27 feet, 2 3/4 inches, the John Worthington has an overall length of 477 feet, 9 3/4 inches, a length between perpendiculars of 463 feet, 3 inches, a depth moulded of 37 feet, 3 inches, and a moulded breadth of 60 feet. With a cargo carrying capacity of 89,851 barrels, she has an assigned pumping rate of 4,000 barrels an hour.
With steam supplied by three Scotch’ boilers at a working pressure of 220 pounds, her four-cylinder quadruple expansion engine, with 2,800 indicated horsepower, gives her a classification certified speed of 9.9 knots.
On September 3, 1939 the John Worthington, commanded by Captain Frans G. M. Anderson, with her engineroom in charge of Chief Engineer Antonio Zouli, left Baytown, Texas, for New York with her first wartime cargo, 89,069 barrels of various petroleum products.
The tanker's wartime transportation record, to the time when she was torpedoed, was in summary as follows:
Her wartime masters were Captains Frans G. M. Anderson, Kenneth Wing, John B. Petterson, Charles J. Stadelman, Olaf Andersen, and Gunnar Gjertsen.
Her chief engineers during the same period were Antonio Zouli, John T. Anderson, Paul Christ, Peter Olsen, Clyde P. Williams, Frank J. Balling, and Walter R. Gillam.
The accuracy of Chief Mate I-looper's estimate of the damage done by the torpedo and his opinion reported to Captain Gjertsen, that the john Worthington was sufficiently seaworthy to continue with the convoy, were proved to be reliable by the fact that the tanker succeeded in remaining with the convoy.
Steamed 4,400 Miles After Torpedoing
Although theJohn Worthington, as determined later by a survey, had a large gaping hole from the ship's side nearly to the center line, she maintained her position in the convoy, steamed 1,900 miles to Trinidad, obtained a certificate of seaworthiness after making temporary repairs, and proceeded to Galveston, Texas, having covered about 4,400 sea miles alter she was torpedoed.
When she arrived at Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, on June 5, 1943, at 4 p.m., she had gone 2,680 miles since leaving Sao Salvador, Although she had covered more than 1,900 of these miles after she was hit, her total time for the voyage was 12 days, 5 hours, 12 minutes and her average speed was 9.14 knots.
At Port-of-Spain she was examined by Lloyd's surveyor and by Chief Engineer Myles Bylsma, who represented the Company in requesting the survey.
The torpedo had done so much damage that for a time it seemed doubtful whether a certificate of sea-worthiness could be obtained.
On the starboard side, all shell plating and longitudinals, from below the margin angle of the main deck around the bottom to within about 12 feet of the center bulkhead, were destroyed. In the plating on the port side, there were three holes, immediately below the main deck.
On the shelter deck, starboard side, the three inner strakes were set up and the plating fractured at the hatch. On the port side of the shelter deck, the three inner strakes were fractured, and pieces were missing between the tltwartship beams.
The deck of the starboard summer tanks Was buckled and cracked, but the longitudinal bulkhead was good. The deck of the port summer tank was buckled and holed, and there was a hole in the longitudinal bulkhead.
The thwartship bulkheads 29 and 32, between tanks Nos. 8 and 9, and 7 and 8, were damaged, and tanks Nos. 7, 8, and 9 were flooded. From the shelter deck to the main deck, the plating and the center longitudinals were gone.
However, in view of the fact that the damage could not be satisfactorily repaired at Portof-Spain, and the further fact that the vessel had traveled over 1,900 miles since the time she was torpedoed, without vibration or any apparent increase of damage, Lloyd's surveyor certified that in his opinion "the SS John Worthington is in a safe and seaworthy condition to continue her voyage to a Gulf port for docking and repairs."
The jolm Worthington left Port-of-Spain at 7:48 a.m. on June 8 and arrived at Guantanamo at 1:00 p.m. on ]une 13, going 1,061 miles in 5 days, 5 hours, and I2 minutes at an average speed of 8.47 knots.
On June 14, she left Guantanamo at 10 a.m. and arrived at Galveston. Texas, on June 21, 1943, at 11:06 a.m. The distance on this voyage, 1,426 miles, was covered in 7 days, 2 hours, and 6 minutes at an average speed of 8.38 knots.
On July 21, I943, at noon, the War Shipping Administration requisitioned title to and possession of the John Worthington and received delivery of the vessel.
Captain Gunnar Gjertsen entered the Company's service as third mate (of the John Worthington) on June 13, I925, and has had continuous service as a master since December 13, 1939. He was in command of the Lago tanker MS Arriaga when she was torpedoed and sunk on June 23, 1942. During the first World War he was a lieutenant in the Norwegian navy and served on minesweepers and patrol ships in the North Sea from 1914 to 1918.
Chief Engineer Walter R. Gillam joined the Company as a third assistant engineer on April 1, 1929. and was promoted to chief engineer on January 1, 1943. His first assignment as chief engineer was to the John Worthington, on January 13, 1943.
In addition to Captain Gjertsen, three other members of the crew of the John Worthington, or four in all, were survivors of ships torpedoed before or afterward: Oiler Charles W. Holland (Paul H, Har- wood, July 7, 1942); Oiler Walter J. Jamrog (Esso Harrisburg, July 6, 1944); and Second Cook Eugenio J. Gonsalves (E. M. Clark, March 18, 1942) .
Merchant Crew Survivors of the “John Worthington" - May 27, 1943:
U. S. Army Armed Survivors of the “John Worthington" - May 27, 1943:
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